Michigan is at a crossroads. Our industrial economy shrinks daily, expanding an unemployment rate
that reached crisis level months ago. I blogged last week
about what that unemployment has exposed: large numbers
of unemployed adults who are unprepared to transition to a new economy
because they struggle with everyday reading, writing and math tasks
Literacy skills are crucial for success
in the knowledge-based economy proposed for Michigan’s future. These skills are at the heart of sustainable communities. Transforming Michigan’s Adult Learning Infrastructure
,
a report to the Council for Labor and Economic Growth, explains: "A
skilled workforce attracts higher-end employers and provides the vital
human capital necessary for existing employers to expand more rapidly.
When we meet the expansion of opportunities in the new economy with
an equal or greater increase in the number of trained workers, we can
expect job creation and economic growth. Michigan will be able to attract
employers who strongly value a workforce that has the skills, knowledge,
and credentials required to meet their needs."
That takes investment. But, even
before the current economic crisis, funding for adult education and
literacy was inadequate. While Americans spent, on average, $6500
a year for each school-aged child’s education, for those in need of
adult basic education and literacy services the expenditure has been
only $300 per year.
In Michigan the decline in state funding for
adult education has contributed to our current economic straits:
from 1997 to 2001 our state invested $80 million annually in adult education,
by 2006 that was slashed to $20 million annually, and the worst may
be yet to come. Michigan is ranked 44th in terms of enrollment
in state administered adult basic education programs. (The Council
for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the National Center for
Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) (2008) Adult Learning in
Focus: National and State-by-State Data.)
We need action and it starts at the
local level. If the upcoming Washtenaw Schools Millage referendum fails, it is not just school-aged children
who will lose. Washtenaw County public school districts will be
forced to make difficult choices, and services that are not mandated,
such as Adult Education, will be eliminated. Washtenaw Literacy
partners with nearly every public school Adult Education program in
Washtenaw County to support adults striving to improve basic skills. For most of these adults, who support families, the goal is to improve
their employment outlook. As the county’s only literacy council
serving adults, Washtenaw Literacy needs these partners.
Our tutors are called to their service
with an open heart, and our learners come to us with an open mind. Our
county voters can help to underwrite this powerful combination. Vote in support of Washtenaw Schools and know that you’re supporting
a far larger county effort.
Remember: you cannot help someone
get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.